Facts

  1. Autism impacts the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction, communication skills, and cognitive function. Individuals with autism typically have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities.
  2. About 40% of children with autism do not speak. About 25%–30% of children with autism have some words at 12 to 18 months of age and then lose them. Others might speak, but not until later in childhood.
  3. It affects each person differently. Autism is also known as a spectrum disorder. That’s because not everyone who has autism has the exact same symptoms with the same severity. However, there are some core symptom areas that people with ASD have. These include problems with social communication, like avoiding eye contact; difficulty with the back and forth of conversation; or trouble understanding other people’s points of view. Other symptoms include repeating certain behaviors or having unusual or restricted behaviors.
  4. The earlier autism spectrum disorder is diagnosed and treated, the better. Outcomes for children’s lives are significantly improved with early diagnosis and treatment.